Don't be an RPG SNOB! (Be an Enthusiast!)
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- čas přidán 23. 01. 2022
- All hobbies have snobbery, I even used to be a snob, but I've had more fun being an enthusiast, which is something I think we should all strive to be in our respective hobbies.
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Thanks for watching, I hope that you enjoyed today's video essay. I'm not certain exactly how I went from being a snob to an enthusiast, but if I ever figure it out I'll post a follow-up. While the video was inspired by a comment, this video was *not* directed at any one person specifically, and I hope you'll accept the message in the spirit in which it was intended. :)
I suspect that evolution is mostly just maturity. I can't remember how I made the journey either, but I think it went hand in hand with the realization that not everybody (in fact, almost nobody) likes the things I love as much as I do, and the reverse is equally true. And perhaps more importantly, that's totally fine. Even if I hate something, it doesn't make it worthless or reflect poorly on those who do like it.
There's actually a phrase I hear from the younger crowd when they have a difference of opinions: "I don't think we can be friends." It's said in jest, but it disturbs me to conflate something as trivial as movie/video game/book/whatever preference with genuine heartbreak or arguments that would ruin relationships. I worry that people might internalize those exaggerations and end up making them a reality.
I have wasted THOUSANDS of dollars TRYING to not be a RPG snob. Fact is I don't like dark and disturbing things. Movies, neighborhood, video games it rubs me the wrong way. I also love some action games, but rarely RPG's. I am no snob! Stop slandering me. LOL! I can not conform to your dogma, because I can't make myself like action rpgs. I have a shelf full of mostly ACTION RPG's that I tried to like. But only played the turn based one. It's like trying to force a guy that is gay to go straight. I don't thing many people have the thoughts you think they do.
@@blackmanlistening7909 lol, I'm not trying to slander anyone. I said in the video that everyone's entitled to their own preferences and can choose how to spend their money because of course you can. The main thrust was to be open-minded and to be considerate of other people who enjoy the games you don't. If you don't like Souls games then don't play 'em, but also don't try to classify them as being "objectively bad" either. My dogma is just to live and let live. You do you, dude. :)
@@blackmanlistening7909 The whole point is not to be a snob, as in not be rude to others about their opinions, not to convince you to go play something your not into
RPG are so varied, its the reason i cant stop playing them... being able to play mary skelter final, blue reflection second light and tales of arise is just such a varied experience. (throw in there smt v too.)
SMT 5 is one of the best games on switch. Starts a bit slow but gets really really good. I ended up playing a few 12 hour sessions on the second half of that game. Could not stop. ha! Music especially improves a ton. Music starts off fairly...meh?....but picks up in a big way in second half.
As I listened it became apparent that these ideas can be applied in many aspects of life; musical tastes, films, even politics. Thoughtful and thought provoking. I will endeavour to be more enthusiast than snob. Thanks Super Derek!
As a fellow enthusiast I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said here. So long as we go into it thinking “not all games are tailored for me” I think we will be fine
Great video Derek, I think this will help those rethink before hand
I know I have a certain box of what I like and dislike, but I'm definitely open to trying a bunch of different stuff! And I love how much variety there is in RPGs! Oftentimes even within the same series!
Oh god do I ever have the most strangely specifically shaped box of stuff I will unquestionably adore, anything like Terranigma, for instance. But variety really is the spice of life, and helps me appreciate new things about the games that I already loved before. :)
I agree! I missed out on a lot of really good rpg’s back in the day because I was being an elitist. But I think this realization only comes with age and experience. And I think everyone goes through an elitist phase with anything they feel passionate about. I see it a lot with music and anime too.
I'm honestly just jealous when I can't enjoy certain games, franchises, or genres that others do. That's just an experience I'll never get to have!
On the same token you've probably had positive experiences about a game or franchise that someone else hasn't, and they're jealous of you for that
I get the point of your video (by the way, it's great!), but I can't bring myself to play something I know I'm not going to like because the scope of stuff I like is already very sharp indeed. I usually know when a game is not for me, neverthless, I don't like to throw poison against games I don't like publicly, because there are lots of people out there who might like them. I try not to get all snobby and stuff, but at the end of the day, I like the stuff I do and I know why I like it, so I think it's kind of difficult to me to open up to some games.
For sure! That's the part about preferences I was talking about. I'm probably not going to fall in love with Super Robot Wars because Mecha is a whole niche all of its own that never stuck with me. I'm not going to be _that guy_ and make a video dunking on the fans of that series, because there's just no reason to. I'm happy for the people who love that series, and wish I could love it the way they do. :)
@@SuperDerek My thoughts exactly :), I've changed my views a whole lot all along the last 5-6 years and I've also come to reconcile with games like Skyrim, I wish the best for all kind of RPGs out there because all of them are valid and necessary. It has been a long time since I bumped into Zelda 2 for the first time back in 1994, which was my first RPG (followed by Miracle Warriors) and I've seen the genre grow beyond the boundaries of its nichey nature, which makes me really glad because now I can discuss my love for RPGs with more people. Let your love for RPGs burn bright my friend :).
It for sure came with age for me. As a teen I remember being a snob and wanting to find the next "cool" thing before others did. Whether that was in regards to games or music for myself. Growing older I found that I just enjoy media as it is. Exactly as you said, an enthusiast. You never know what you might enjoy if you don't give it a try. Hell I've found that the first try might not land properly so don't give up on a genre of gaming or music just because one game or artist didn't stick.
Shifting from trying to be something extra to just simply enjoying my hobbies has definitely leveled my head and made me enjoy things more through the years. Great video!
Awesome video, and I'm glad you made it and said what you said. I used to be a snob many years ago and then I realized I was only limiting my own enjoyment. Life is too short. Let the art speak for itself without fabricating additional boundaries to your experience with it. And most of all, just let people enjoy what they enjoy. I can now not think of anything worse than trying to get between someone else and their own fun.
One might spin the life is to short argument the other direction. Life is to short to waste time on things you might not enjoy focusing on the things you already know you enjoy might be a better use of your limited time.🤷♂️
@@SuperDwango As with most things in life, there are multiple perspectives to every story. I personally have opened up my mind to giving everything a fair shake.
@@PeteOliva I was just making a devil's advocate argument since I'm a novelty seeker I like new things and new experiences personally. I just wanted to acknowledge that there's no right answers in life everyone has to determine what's right for them.👍
Ultimately at the end of the day gaming is a hobby it is something that should bring people together so they can play games and have fun.
Can you imagine what this world would be like without RPGS. Rpgs are life!!
Great vid, I realized the rpgs I enjoyed the most was when I decided to just say screw it and try something new. Never know what will be your next favorite
There's nothing more novel than trying something different, right? :D
Love your latest videos Derek. So interesting to see your thoughts and they get me thinking too. I love my turn based jrpgs but if that’s all I played I know I’d get major burn out. Having an open mind ensures I keep gaming and finding new things!
There is little reason why The World Ends With You shouldn't be considered one of the greatest games of all time, being spoken of in the same breath as Chrono Trigger. But it was a real-world RPG with hip-hop music, armor that changes its bonuses based on what fashion is in style in each part of town, and a strong anime aesthetic... not to mention that it was on the DS and required touch controls. And so it's considered a niche game.
Thanks for another great video. I always look forward to them.
I greatly appreciate this video thank you Derek. I feel this applies not only to any video game genre but to other aspects of life too. Respect what people are into and maybe try something new as well, its a good mindset i like it
Love your videos Derek. You always make my day better when you upload.
Another fantastic video my dude! Thanks for the quality content! 👍
It sure makes things more interesting and it helps to connect with others too.
I've been playing RPGs for >30 years now, and I increasingly find that it's not useful to describe a game as being "bad". There are games that I don't like, but I guarantee that for every game, there's somebody out there who likes it, even if it's just the developer -- and as long as a developer was able to create the game they wanted and somebody enjoyed it, then it's rather arrogant of me to call a game "bad" just because I didn't enjoy it.
There have been plenty of popular, critically-acclaimed games that I didn't get much enjoyment out of (Dark Souls, Final Fantasy 8, every Diablo-esque lootathon RPG...), and also games I absolutely love that were critically panned (Giraffe & Annika, Ys: Memories of Celceta, all of the Utawarerumono games...), and I find that it's a lot more fun and better for my mental health to concentrate on the things I enjoy and try to understand why people enjoy things I don't rather than get upset because of others peoples' preferences.
Awesome vid. Great points all across the board.
Thanks for the video, I completly agree with you. RPGs have so many type that you can get lost on it all. The important is to love playing them. They may be bad for you, but it doesn't mean it's gonna be bad for somebody else. Trying to stay objective is sometimes tough but necessary when you like RPGs! Very good video! Keep it up!
Wonderful video Derek. Overcoming prejudice enhances everything. Gaming too.
The box analogy is so great. Back 25-odd years ago, my box was tiny. I was an unabashed, total snob. I was into old obscure Enix games, completely denied the shift to 3D (I still don't like the original FFVII) and FPS were pew-pew games for kids who like to play with guns. Fast forward 20 years, I still carry very unpopular opinions but I've opened myself up to all RPG subgenres and to other gaming genres as a while. In fact, back to my replay of Horizon: Zero Dawn before next month! ;)
I remember in high school when I only played RPGS that got good reviews, then one day I took a chance on mana khemia on the PSP (was on sale at gamestop) and I absolutely loved it. And it started my love for the atelier series which is now my personal favorite series. Branching out can be such a great thing and I always try my best too play as much stuff as I can. (Within budget)
The best words of wisdom I've heard on this are that there is no prize at the end of your life for not enjoying things.
derek you are 100 percent right one should never be a snob and im glad you grew out of your rpg snobbness me i use to be the same but now i am a enthusiast and to this day still hunt as many good rpgs as i can keep up the good work
I've been doing my best to branch out because I agree, having an open mind is great! I still remember getting Legend of Mana for my sixteenth birthday. It was very different than Secret of Mana, but I love it! Back then I didn't understand it as well. But nowadays I understand it so much better and appreciate it so much more!
Even the ones I don't like, I can tell the game is still good. It's just not for me and that is okay! It's great that these games have so much variety!
Not just gaming advice, but life advice. You rock.
I think it's very easy to become kind of picky with which game one wants to play (or which book to read, movies to watch etc.), and one reason for that might be the fact that there are so many games to choose from! I've noticed that often times negative criticism has so much more weight to me than positive. Which, in the end, is so silly because nothing will be perfect, and there will always be imperfections. But that shouldn't stop us from trying something new!
I think understanding the art form, really helps you evolve as an rpg enthusiast, you tend you play more classical games that you probably never thought you would or more obsure games if it some how peeks your interesting about a certain creator, developer or how a specific technology was first introduced, etc. Don't just be an RPG gamer, understand its history, its creative process, and even read tons of resources and study games like they are home work assignments. All of these things I think help draw you into this wonderful genre of video games and gives you a much further appreciation behind the craft.
I just realised I really like video like these, that are around the world of rpg and not just about rpg's
Thanks random guy, it's a lot of fun to talk about the hobby from time to time and it's nice to have people to talk about it with. :)
You like green, I like blue. - Neither color is bad. Subjectivity.
For me, I think I dismiss a lot of games not because I'm close-minded or want to snob them, but because time is limited. If I can only complete 3 RPGs per year (probably less but anyway), I would rather dedicate my time and money into a game that I'll have a high probability of enjoying in its entirety, than picking a game that will have elements I'm not interested in. This applies to games in general and not only RPGs. My backlog is huge and as much as I'd like to play everything that exists, I need to have some filters when deciding what to play next. When I was younger I used to play much more diverse games but I don't have as much free time now. This doesn't mean I never go out of my comfort zone, but basically that's why I decide not to play certain games.
I tried a Neptunia game well over 10 years ago and as a result I haven't gone anywhere near any Compile Heart / Idea Factory games since, until now when I have tried Dragon Star Varnir, Fairy Fencer F and Dark Rose Valykrie. I've only dipped into the first hour of each but I really like them so far. That'll teach me for allowing one bad experience to put me off any game from a particular developer!
What you're talking about in this video reminds me of when I was a far more credulous kid with a Nintendo Power subscription. I don't remember having any strong preferences, RPGs or otherwise, I just loved flipping through the pages and gawking at all the screenshots. I've played many of those games in the years since, and some of them have become favourites. It also made an incorrigable video game crate digger out of me; I'm in love with translation romhacks.
What I'm saying is that you'll have a lot more fun as an enthusiast, and play a lot more games. It's just a shame we don't have time to play them all.
It’s funny that you mentioned Secret of Evermore as an example of early exposure to something different. For me, when I played that game, I was like “oooohhh wow, here’s a whole new thing!” and it served as an opening experience, coming from very traditional top tier titles like FF6 and CT.
This video came across as very real. Thank you, oh wise one!
Great video, Derek. Something that I don't personally get is when people hate or dislike one particular game or series and make a whole personality trait around it. Just like you, I did not quite enjoy Chain of Memories, but I don't feel the need to go around constantly announcing that I don't like it. I know that there is someone out there that does like it and I don't want to rain on their parade. That's why I value channels like yours because while you can voice your dislikes or concerns about a game, the vibe you give is all-around positive.
I pretty much grew up playing jrpgs but recently played my first western crpg, pillars of eternity on the switch and it’s one of my favorite games, such an amazing story.
It is hard not to be snobby with something you appreciate so dearly 😂
This is a message that I think works for gaming in general not just rpgs. The worst type of snobs for me are those that gatekeep single games from players for example. Oh u played the game on easy u didn’t have the REAL playing experience - or like oh u didn’t do all the side quests are u even a REAL fan of the game stuff like that
Mass Effect to my left, Legend of Heroes to my right. Nom, nom, nom!
A great video with a wonderful message.
I remember back when I was a lot younger, I had certain preferences in gaming, and when I look back on it now,I can't help but feel so ignorant for being closed minded for such a long time.
Won't say age my age, but I've been doing this since Atari. I can't believe it's been about 2 and 1/2 years now since I left the comfort zone and tried a rpg genre I never was into, it did nothing for me. Didn't understand it. I'm talking about JRPGS. Persona 4 and tales of Symphonia wee the first 2 JRPGs I ever really set down and went through.
In the present, I can't put into words how much I cherish my beloved JRPGs. I have a favorite series now, and consider myself a huge fanboy of it (it's f**kin' TRAILS!).
Feel like I would be lost if I hadn't broadened my gaming out then, i missed alot of good games, that's why I have a infinite backlog.
Well said, thanks for the positive message!
Come on, SuperDerek. You always have to fit it in the box!
Top tier take mate
Another solid video! Always try to be open minded and find that silver lining... if not for you then someone else might still like it and THAT is COOL!
I grew up with the NES and SNES I absolutely love RPGs but there are some that I still haven't finished because it had maybe 1 thing I didn't like very much. This video has inspired me to finally go back and finish those games. I think I'm going to start with Star Ocean 1 or Earthbound. Thank you!
I'm glad to hear it! I hope this helps you find new games to fall in love with!
I grew up on western RPGs. I didn't get into JRPGs until my mid 20s. I had always played the Infinity Engine games, and then the newer Bioware, Bethesda, and Obsidian titles.
I eventually bought a copy of Persona 3 and loved it. I had this whole new world to explore JRPGs, and that's how I found your channel (which has been really helpful for me as far as picking what games to play). Since then I've played and collected most of the major JRPGs from the SNES, PS1, and PS2 eras. I highly recommend FF6, Chrono Trigger, and Xenogears to anyone who hasn't given them a try.
I’m a rpg fan, but a bit more on the jrpg side. I love western ones though, there’s a lot of snobs in the jrpg community specifically.
Reminds me of forum rpg reccomendation posts where someone wants a game that fills very specific criteria that probably doesn't exist.
Sometimes you gotta try some games and enjoy them for what they are, rather than compare them to the RPG you made up in your head!
You have no idea how long I searched from a top-down zombie-themed Action RPG on the Super Nintendo that takes place within a high school setting. It doesn't exist, but I _knew_ that it would have been amazing! xD
I totally get this! I put off playing Persona and SMT games for so long because I thought only Square Enix RPGs were worth playing. Joke's on me, Persona 4 Golden is my favorite game of all time now.
There's nothing wrong with being choosy! But like you said, unless you break out you'll have no idea what you're missing! :)
I couldn't agree more. When I started my RPG journey, the ones I was most comfortable with were Western ones, such as Witcher 3, my fave game of all time, FO4 second fave game of all time, and Assassin's Creed. However, I tried to get into JRPGs a few times and failed until I tried Nino Kuni 2 and loved it. Since then, my library grew. I still struggle with turn based games for sure but I am more open now to learning (unless the game is very difficult and I feel it is not worth my time anymore). And I must say, this made me a better gamer as well as content creator.
Great video bro. I agree, there's too many snobs or elitists out there(from rpg snobs to the "pc master race" ). If you broaden your horizons I think most will find enjoyment in rpgs(or games in general really.
I love rpgs. Right now I'm playing a rom hack of Mother on NES that gets rid of the censorship. I added a game to my Steam wishlist because you mentioned it and it looked cool, but I haven't heard of, nice video man.
At the end of the day, video games are a hobby meant to be enjoyed, so why would you limit your enjoyment based on arbitrary reasons? Even worse if you look down on others for feeling different, it's just uncalled for. Great video man! I always enjoy your thoughtful perspectives on these topics Derek.
You hit upon some life truth here. Limiting yourself or your experiences based on irrational dislikes is not only limiting intellectually, but also on a personal growth level. This goes for games as well as people of different culture and color, or movies in different languages or genres or whatever it is you've got preconceptions about. I'd shake your hand if I could :)
I dunno man your set is the definition of cool 👍
YES!!! This, absolutely this!
I admit, as a teen, I never would have thought of myself as a "snob", but I totally was. There are so many games I would dismiss for the doofiest of reasons. I even remember dismissing FFX because the combat wasn't the ATB system... and now it's one of my favorite combat systems in the series xD
I cringe looking back at how silly some of my reasons were, but I'm glad I kicked that mentality early. Who knows how many of my favorite games I would have missed out on!
Something that tends to grind my gears is favorites in a series, raising the bar to that entry, and everyone shitting on any other before, and after it. Same happens in Art in general. People really need to separate themselves from what they experienced to really take in the quality of what they're currently playing to really appreciate what that thing is. Hype is a double edged sword and can really hinder the fans experience.
If you don't go outside your comfort zone you'll miss out. I could never understand what all the fuss was about with the Persona series until i gave Persona 4 a chance and it blew my mind. It's now one of my favorite games of all time.
Another great video, Derek!
Thanks Dingus! :D
Preference is one thing, exclusicity is another.
I used to kind of be a snob when it came to western and strategy rpgs, but now, I just love jrpgs indiscriminately. There's so many wonderful titles, it's such a shame to limit yourself. 💕
There's no reason to be so fancy- like what you like, don't hate on what others like, and if you can afford it, try some stuff you wouldn't usually.
Having a open mind is a good thing, got nothing to ad on this video.
Plain true.
Refreshing to hear. I feel like Action RPGs get a lot of hate lately since so many RPGs are action combat. While some of my favorite RPGs are action like Ys & Mana series... I do also enjoy Turnbased & Tactical like the recent Trails series & Triangle Strategy. I can see the fun in all RPGs & don't think one type is better than the other.
I just don't like it when turn based RPG's forces you to grind as i hate grinding i want to rely on my own skill so naturally i would get drawn to Action RPG's as they are more skill expressive than the turn based ones plus i probably have some form of ADHD i am not sure but that is probably why i can't sit still and grind unless it is for the infinity pistol in Borderlands 2 just because i thought the gun was cool when i heard about it
I agree with everything you said in this video. I do my best to play and enjoy everything with an open mind. If a game doesn't click with me that's fine, but it might click with other people. A whole team of people put their blood, sweat, and tears into every game so I don't want to rudely critique anything.
That's absolutely true. Games are so much more interconnected and complicated to make, and make well, than we give credit for.
Perfectly said.
I don't love RPGs. I find them much, much more interesting when filtered through somebody who loves them. Thanks for being that guy.
RPGs to me are always a huge investment, which is why I can't seem to ever find myself playing more than one. I do try to branch out here and there but for the past 3 years, most of what I've been playing have been Shin Megami Tensei games, due to my love of the series and my eagerness to finish that backlog. Couple that with getting older and not having as much time to play games, it feels hard for me to try and branch out into something I might not know if I like. But I agree, this is technically a larger discussion that doesn't just apply to games and could be applied to any personal criteria :)
The first thing I want to say is, what you are doing IS cool. Over 58 000 subscribers would agree. Second thing is, Well said! Less snobiness, more enthusiasm!
I agree, for the last 2 to 3 years I have been trying to branch out to other RPGs. I have found some game even if I love the story I can only keep at it for about 30min to 1hr at a time. And others it feels like i blink and 8hrs have past. I dont consider them bad, but Guardians of the Galaxy was one of those I would play 30min to 1hr and I was done for the day. While Ys, Trails of, Atelier ryza, and scarlet nexus were all games I had to keep an eye on the close or I would loose track of time. The games that hold my attention for shorter periods are nice for when I know I dont have much time.
Anyways as always great video. I have a goal on one day being able to play Skyrim and finish playing it.
I usually try to play what looks interesting to me for a couple hours before I judge them. Some of them ended up becoming favorites of mine while others I ended up not liking for sometimes petty seeming reasons. Most of my favorite games (not just RPGs) are actually really janky or have stories that are largely considered bad/too simple/whatever else. My favorite game of all time is Gotcha Force, a game with saturday morning cartoon plot and clunky seeming action combat. BUT, it also has a ton of fun characters to play, a lot of banger music tracks and it's infinitely replayable since you keep your collection of characters in any NG+ cycle. Yet it was relatively mediocre in videogame critic ratings at the time.
That game from almost 20 years ago kind of taught me that the best games for you are often where you don't expect them at all. I played it as an exclusively turnbased player because my brother brought it home and it ended up being a GOAT game to me.
I notice I play games on more preconceived notions as I get older, but remembering what Gotcha Force is, usually brings me back from the slight snobbery I notice in my gaming habits. For a little while at least :P
I see your point and I agree, while I personally do not like the first person perspective RPGs and yes, I may miss out on some gems but I just can't enjoy the battles that way, I don't think that they are bad or less of an RPG than others
There's plenty of people who love them so keep them coming 😄
But Derek a video on "bad comments" would be so much fun! & being an rpg snob is so much fun! 🤣🤣🤣
Haha! I think the video would do well, but I'm also a firm believer that you get back what you put out there, and negativity comes back to you on CZcams ten fold. As well as that video might do, I'm way more of a fan of these good vibes comments sections. :)
I love and play all kinds of rpgs. Xenosaga episode 1 is my favorite console rpg. I grew up with all those ps1 classics you can name. I've played and enjoyed (some parts) of "lesser" or "bad" rpgs like legend of alon'dar, eternal ring and many many others. Starfield is my most hyped game of 2022. The freedom and exploration of bethesda rpgs are unmatched.
Overall just mainly stating that i enjoy, collect and play all kinds of rpgs and have enjoyed your take and videos on the genre. Literally about to start Tales of Arise right this minute on my xbox series x. Heard good things about it.
Guilty as charged, although I'm broadening my enthusiast horizon an rpg at a time.
Very well said dude! Couldn’t agree more. The comments about some games not being ‘true JRPGs’ just because they weren’t made in Japan always seemed silly to me. Like if I made some sushi over here in America, is it not considered Japanese food in that case? Lol but yeah, I’ve also gone from a JRPG snob to an enthusiast over the years myself and it’s only helped me appreciate the genre even more
Yeah I've seen plenty of these type of people from both content creators and your average person on social media in not wanting to try something/dismissing it because it is not what they perceived as good or what an RPG/JRPG should be. It is always strange to be in the argument between turn based or action combat when I just think along the lines of it I just want a good combat system and don't care which one it is.
I used to be somewhat of an RPG snob myself. I was the rare kind that preferred turn-based JRPGs and wasn't fond of action elements or even the old Final Fantasy style which was semi-turn-based. I think I started getting more into Action RPGs when my brother got me Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the PS2 and I was hooked. I loved the hack-and-slash elements and though it didn't take long to beat, I really enjoyed that, Dark Alliance 2 and the Champions games. I'm also an avid RuneScape player and have been playing that MMO since it first came out in 2001. So I wasn't always a turn-based snob before Dark Alliance but MMOs are a whole different beast. RuneScape's combat mechanics, at least before Evolution of Combat, felt pretty turn-based but at the same time, not really. It's hard to describe. I agree that we shouldn't knock games before trying them. :-)
I think the most interesting RPGs are hybrids combined with other genres.
Like you got Mario Tennis on the GB color is a sports RPG which uses the same UI as Golden Sun, Parasite eve and Nanashi no Game, pretty much blends itself with survival horror, and even fighting game RPGs like xenogears, legend of legaia and the bouncer.
I think the most interesting combination is that Jpn togue racing RPG by squaresoft, Racing Lagoon, that has the pacing of a Persona/SMT game.
RPGs occupy an interesting space, where unlike other game genres such as shooters, fighting games or platformers, where there are pretty universally agreed upon metrics for mechanical quality like control latency, panning speed, FOV, hit-box accuracy, etc, an RPG, even one that incorporates other genre mechanics can rarely be truly "better" or "worse" than another. And even in the parts of the gameplay that can be measured objectively, where those fall flat you can still end up with a game you personally enjoy. Where a slow shooter might be called "clunky" or "laggy", an RPG with very stripped down mechanics is just "simplified", and that may be your preference.
... slowly starting to realize I'm a 33 year old RPG snob, and I clicked this video to maybe help change my perspective.
I'm glad I did. Sub +1
point taken, from now on I'll be an enthusiast RPG snob :) !
Mission failed successfully. xD
Labyrinth of Touhou 2 on steam is a fantastic jrpg, didn't expect to like a fan made Touhou game so much it might become my favorite jrpg in terms of gameplay
I think there’s a significant difference between sticking to your preferences and being a snob, even though it can be a fine line. If you know in advance that you’re not going to like the way a certain game plays, there’s nothing wrong with just skipping it in favor of other games you would want to play, especially considering the cost of living and the prices of gaming these days. I agree we should try new things, but I think one of the reasons many folks will forgo certain games is because of the uncertainty that it’ll justify the purchase for them. If all games were free (or at least cheaper) it would make more sense to buy a game just for the hell of it. That’s just not the case. I’m not trying to argue, rather I’m just trying to add to the conversation.
For sure! I think that fine line though is actually wider than you think. Being a snob is as much of an attitude towards games and the people who enjoy those games as anything else. It's fine for me to say, "Super Robot Wars does not look like my cup of tea," but it would be snobbery to say "SRW looks like a trash games and only fools would enjoy it," or anything close to that effect
@@SuperDerek Totally agree
Word, man. Word!
Maybe this sounds dumb but I really appreciated your Western vs JRPG video(s) and that helped me understand more about why maybe I should approach Western RPGs differently and I am now really enjoying Cyberpunk 2077 and plan on playing Fallout New Vegas later this year. You helped me not be an RPG snob without me even realizing it. Thank you
I'm a giant wrpg and crpg snob and proud of it. I liked a few snes jrpgs too. If you never tried Ultima 4 and 6 on nes and snes you might find you enjoy them. Pc versions are a bit more complex but sitting at pc isn't as cosy as a console game in the living room.
I used to be an RPG snob. I thought anything that wasn’t as epic as Final Fantasy or very similar wasn’t worth my time. Oh how wrong I was.
I started suspecting there are great RPGs that I haven’t played when I impulse bought Persona 5 and Nier Automata on a sale in 2018. I did not expect them to turn out to be the masterpieces that they were. I hadn’t enjoyed RPGs that much since FFX on the PS2. Then I started exploring more.
People like you and Erick Landon have showed me how lovely and diverse this whole genre is. I cannot believe how much I’ve missed and the irony is that I’m a parent now and I don’t have much time to enjoy them. Instead of playing FF7 for the 50th time (not an exaggeration), I could’ve been playing Suikoden 1 and 2. Instead playing through Half-Life 2 for the 7th time, I could’ve been playing Shadow Hearts. Instead of literally anything I could’ve been playing Trails in the Sky!
Oh well. There’s always retirement I suppose.
Thank you for this great video. It really puts to words a general feeling I get from my friends when I talk about games I love that might not make top 10 lists.
I do have a question for you. How do you feel when someone tells you, or you see someone say a game you love is overrated? I get this a lot with FF7 but I never understood their angle. How can my personal enjoyment or other’s personal enjoyment be overrated? Maybe they mean the critical reception was too generous? I dunno, always rubbed me the wrong way. People have a hard time accepting that something they don’t like can also be good or popular so something they don’t like being popular feels like an attack on their “taste”. That’s the best conclusion I can come to.
This is a really complex question to try to answer. I think though that a lot of people who use this phrase are conflating with widespread enjoyment with widespread high-rating. As a quick analogy, I think a lot of people are comparing McDonald's to their favorite Gourmet restaurants, and see how many people are eating McDonald's daily, therefore it's "overrated" compared to their favorite Gourmet restaurant, when the reality is just a difference of accessibility and widespread "good enough" levels of sustenance. I hope that makes sense.
It takes a varying amount of effort to have a positive mindset in general, let alone on video games. But it's so worth it when you're able to put the effort into just looking to have a good time. After I broke free from my own RPG snob mentality, it made me realize just how much I was missing out on by limiting myself to just playing a very specific kind of game. It's incredible how much fun you can have simply by being more open to different types of games. I really appreciate this video, as well as your other videos. They really remind me of how much I appreciate the genre in general.
To borrow a phrase from a games podcast, "The good is not the enemy of the great." If you dismiss games for not being the same as whatever you think the best games are, you're just gonna make yourself miserable and miss out on a lot of good and interesting games. For example, you shouldn't get mad at Dragon Quarter for not being Breath of Fire 3.
I will say that some level of snobbishness probably helps with the "being an adult with limited time to play games sucks" thing. Especially in my case, where I'm an FPS snob yearning for the days of Quake and Unreal Tournament, which helps me avoid the hundreds-of-hours time sinks that are modern multiplayer games.
Atleast we know we'll never get those days back... sadface. Halo is the closest big shooter to that imo still though
@@VeryNijsMan Yeah, and what I’m hearing about the new Halo’s launch experience makes me glad I never got into it.
Or from my point of view, as a Turn-Based RPG fan, it allows me to ignore low-budget modern games, and play much older games with higher budgets instead. I get more enjoyment out of them, and that's what matters, right?
Basically, we know what's out there, and we know what we like. That's pretty much it.
Played gears tactics and was super surprised, it gave me a sci Fi shining force feel. I'm definitely not a snob but the Japanese animation type RPGs I just can't get into the acting, cartoon feel and kind of corny story's, but I'll play almost anything.
Adding Japanese voice dubs to a game to increase enjoyment was done just to be trendy or cool... People need to listen to their own words said back to themselves to reevaluate what they just said. As to the video, it's another fine one! Thank you! I don't like certain games and consider myself a snob in that respect. But as I've heard it said, "If you don't like chocolate, that just means more chocolate for me!" Cheers!
The first time I played Xenoblade Chronicles I didn't like it because of the "weird" battle system (I almost only played turned based RPG's). Years later I give it another chance on the Nintendo Switch, more open minded and now it's one of my all time favorites. Very interesting video, thank you Derek, greetings from Mexico.
I'm guilty of this as well. Still haven't come back to XC yet and I wonder how I would react to it today.